GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Mercy Corps Finance Department is responsible for all financial functions, including accounting, payments and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting, and grant financial management and compliance.  The Mercy Corps Finance Department ensures compliance with donor regulations as well as Mercy Corp’s internal policies and procedures.  As a support to the Program Technical Department, the Finance Department provides timely reports and assistance to the Country Director and the Program team to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and effectively.

Working in the finance unit, under the direction of the Jijiga Head of Office and Addis Ababa based Field Finance Manager, the Finance Coordinator will ensure the accuracy and completeness of the JijJiga Field office accounting records, compliance to Mercy corps policies and procedures, donor terms and conditions, and applicable government regulations and will have primary responsibility for managing the monthly accounting cycle. The post holder should be forward looking, self-driven operating under minimum supervision, and critical thinker in the team.  Furthermore, considering the various expected systemic changes in future, the post holder should be forward looking, able to develop/train herself/himself easily, change oriented and able to quickly settle in the new system.             

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. Oversee and manage daily accounting and finance functions including proper analysis and documentation of financial transactions, timely recording of transactions, and periodic financial reporting to HOOs and country office

2. Oversee cash management, banking, payroll, budget monitoring, annual inventory, receivables, and payables.

3. Ensure daily compliance at the field level with Mercy Corps policies and procedures as well as donor and government regulations

4. Plan and implement systems for financial operations in the Jijiga Field office in accordance with the Mercy Corps Field Finance Manual and donor regulations, including systems for cash flow management, budgeting, consolidation of accounting information, internal controls, financial reporting, financial record-keeping, grant management and compliance.

5. Monitor budget spending to ensure compliance with budget and to prevent overspending or underspending.

6. Maintain banking relations and plan and monitor field offices cash flow requirements to ensure the smooth implementation of field office programs.

7. Supervision and evaluation and daily management of the finance officer and the assistant finance officer.

8. Oversee weekly and monthly cash count with the assistant finance officers

9. Manage the month end accounting close process, ensuring the accuracy and completeness and consistency of sub journals and all supporting documentation in the field offices.

10. Ensure compliance with Mercy Corps’ procurement policies and procedures for all goods and services procured at field offices.

11. Prepare month end balance sheet account reconciliations

12. Coordinate the preparation and ensure the on-time submission of the monthly reporting package.

13. Oversee the maintenance of all accounting records, ensuring that records are complete, accurate and safeguarded

14. Assist in the training and support of the finance officers in field offices, including answering daily questions, training new hires, making field visits, etc.

15. Provide financial review task on the source documents based on the limit set in the Authority Matrix

16. Review the Bank and cash batches transitions recorded in the system by the Finance officer and Finance Assistant.

17. Ensure that the Jijiga Field office is consistently implementing internal audit recommendations and the Addis Ababa based compliance team monitoring visit recommendations.

18. Performs review of new personnel recruitment requests and personnel action form

19. Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.

20. Perform any other similar tasks that may be reasonably assigned by the line manager/supervisor in any one of the four components above.

Team Management

• Develop the capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.

• Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.

• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.

• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.

• Hire, orient and lead team members as necessary.

Do This

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.

• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

Strategy & Vision

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.

• Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.

• Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support. 

GEDSI (GENDER, EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION)

• Be a thought partner in the recruitment of diverse team and promoting inclusive and safe work environment including supporting early career team members to fulfil their professional goals)

• Lead by example to promote gender equal and inclusive workplace culture in a day-to-day interaction with team members, partners and program participants 

Organizational Learning 

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically
  to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

Job Requirements

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• 4 years and more progressive experience in the non-profit organization and mainly experience gained in the INGO is required.

• Experience in managing USAID, EU,WFP and other private donor grants at least for two years

• Masters/First Degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Finance or related discipline. Compensating Education + Experience can be considered.

• Demonstrated competency with computerized general ledger software

• Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly in Excel

• Prior management experience and strong organizational skills

• Excellent oral and written English skills

SUCCESS FACTORS:

• Must be confident, self-starter, an independent thinker and have strong organizational, interpersonal and communication skill; team oriented

• Good computer skills (especially Microsoft Excel, Work, and Outlook)

• Ability to interact effectively with international and national personnel is required; demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse group of people

• High professional standard of administration ethics as well as willingness and ability to enforce compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures is essential.

• Demonstrated ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities is necessary

• Excellent communication skills, written and oral are required.

• Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and appropriate flexibility.

• Emotional maturity and physical stamina.

How to Apply

Submit your CV, three reference and all relevant official documents via email: et-recruitment@mercycorps.org or through post Mercy Corps Recruiter Addis Ababa: P.O. Box 14319, Arbaminch: P.O. Box 33, Jijiga: P.O. Box 225, Negelle Borena: P.O. Box 116, Dire Dewa: P.O. Box 974

N.B: Please make sure that you mention the position title in the subject line of your email application.